Grace Lillian Mueller

SGM. U.S. Army (Ret.)

On Wednesday, July 4, 2012, Grace passed away at the Washington, DC VA Medical Center. Surviving are his nephew, Leonard Mueller, Maj. USMC (Ret.) and his wife, Jamie; her niece, Judy Rhoades and her husband, John; great-nieces, Natalie Britton, Deborah McKissick, Carol Rhoades, Krista DePoy and their families. Visitation, funeral services and interment will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made the U.S. Army Women's Museum at Fort Lee or Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Arrangements by MURPHY FUNERAL HOME of ARLINGTON.

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Grace Lillian Mueller

May 17, 1917 – July 4, 2012

Family, Friend, Veteran, Patriot,

Grace was born May 17, 1917 in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Alfred and Ida Mueller and the sister of Clarence. Her father was a Methodist minister, and the family moved on numerous occasions. She considered Indiana home, but kept her heart close to Ohio and her many friends there. Grace was working as a clerk at the Batesville Casket Company, in Batesville, Indiana, when she heard a radio announcement that the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps was being formed. She enlisted on Aug. 1, 1942 – enlistments had only started some six weeks before. Following basic and administrative training at Ft. Des Moines she was assigned to Ft. Sheridan, IL, as a personnel clerk. Several months later she applied for and was accepted to officer candidate school at Ft. Des Moines. Following graduation and commissioning as a third officer (second lieutenant) Grace was assigned to the MP school, first at Ft Custer, MI, and later at Camp Bullis, San Antonio, TX. She was discharged in 1946 as a first lieutenant and returned home to Indiana.

WAC training ended in 1945, but former WACs were eligible to reenlist. Grace reenlisted in 1947, and was assigned to Ft. Meade, MD. When the Armed Forces Integration Act was signed (1948) she was able to enlist in the Regular Army, and was assigned as training center cadre at the newly opened WAC Training Center, Ft. Lee, VA. She was on levy for Germany, but instead was assigned to 8th Army HQ, Yokohama, Japan. Her stateside assignments included the AG School at Ft Harrison, IN, two assignments to the WAC Training Center, Ft. McClellan, AL (one as a drill sergeant, the other as an instructor), Ft. Ord, CA (training center assignment), Ft. Myer, VA, and two assignments to WAC Branch in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, one at Ft. McNair, the other in the Pentagon. Grace’s final assignment was as the action officer for senior women NCO assignments. She retired in March 1973. Her awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal (7), American Campaign Medal, WAC Service Medal, Occupation Medal (Japan), and National Defense Service Medal (w/Bronze Star).

Grace was incredibly active and generous with her time in retirement as she was throughout her life. Grace stayed active in the Methodist Church in Batesville and supported many charitable organizations. Grace served on successive retiree councils in the Washington area, delivered Meals on Wheels, served for many years on the WAC Foundation and Army Women’s Museum boards of directors, and was elected to director emeritus status with the Army Women’s Foundation. She was a long-time member of the WAC Veterans Association and a fixture at conventions until she was unable to go. She was a member first of the WAC Vets Chapter 58 (in Maryland) and later of Northern Virginia Chapter 33. She held many offices in NV 33, including that of president (1988-89). She was a charter member of the Women In Military Service For America Memorial, very active as a volunteer and in recruiting women veterans to register with the Memorial. In March 2011 Grace was inducted into the Army Women’s Foundation Hall of Fame where she joined previous Hall of Fame members BG Pat Foote, CSM Cindy Pritchett, LTC Tammy Duckworth, Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught, and the USMA class of 1980. A Washington Post article discussing the 2011 Hall of Fame honors is at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/17/AR2011031704538.html. She was an active member of the Ft. Myer Protestant Chapel.

One of her many achievements was the placement of memorial bronze plaques at each of the WAAC/WAC basic training sites. She raised funds for this effort, acquired the plaques, and coordinated their placement. The plaques are located at Ft. Des Moines; Ft. Oglethorpe, GA; Ft. Devons, MA; Ft. Polk, LA; the US Replacement Depot, Lichfield, England; and regular Army training centers at Ft. Lee, VA; Ft. McClellan, AL; and Ft. Jackson, SC.

Grace was also a Luddite–computers, cell phones, and many of the new electronic gadgets were not of interest to her. She favored simpler times but knew the value of the computer age and its uses to assist with her many activities. She did not hesitate to seek assistance from her many friends and family to “use that computer to find me this information.” We were all willing participants.

She was known for her trademark red sweater (no matter how hot it was), for her candor, her unfailing support of veterans, particularly women veterans, and for her love of family, Army, and country.

Grace was particularly proud of her family. She was survived by her nephew Lance Mueller and his wife Jamie, her niece Judy Rhoades and her husband John, four great nieces, seven great-great nieces and nephews, and five great-great-great nieces and nephews.

We have all lost a “one-of-a-kind person.” Grace will be missed by her family and countless friends around the world.